Composite Elements
When creating BSP applications with BSP extensions, it is sometimes not easy to use elements that are essentially simple BSP elements. To generate the layout you require, you often need a number of special elements. In such cases, you can create composite BSP elements to facilitate handling several special elements, and to minimize the amount of work required to develop BSP applications and their layouts.
Below, you will find a few suggestions for solving this complex, yet common problem. These suggestions will involve a basic BSP extension.
Although the example is restricted to three simple input fields, the composite element solution is intended for cases where you want to display a number of variable input fields, including labels and table-format displays.
Task
You need to display three entry fields with text on a single screen. These entry fields will allow a user to enter his/her name, password, and e-mail address. The three fields are to be arranged vertically.
You can solve this task using BSP extension HTMLB, with the following predefined layout elements:
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<htmlb:gridLayout>
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<htmlb:label>
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<htmlb:inputField>
Process Flow
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Create a test BSP application.
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To begin with, use the existing BSP extension HTMLB on the before.htm page.
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Then create the composite element and use it on the after.htm page.
Composite BSP elements use other existing BSP elements to generate the output within the layout framework by including and wrapping the existing BSP elements.
You already have a working knowledge of BSP Extensions and how they are implemented.